Google is changing access to Gemini models starting October 9. Free users will only be left with the simplest Flash-Lite, and the cheapest paid subscription, Google AI Plus, for $4.99 per month, will lose access to the Pro model.
Google is changing access to Gemini models starting October 9. Free users will only be left with the simplest Flash-Lite, and the cheapest paid subscription, Google AI Plus, for $4.99 per month, will lose access to the Pro model.
The Decoder writes about the changes.
Currently, non-subscribers can choose between Flash-Lite, Flash, and limited access to Pro. After October 9, only Flash-Lite will remain in the free plan — Flash and Pro will disappear from the model selection menu.
Access for Google AI Plus owners will also change. The $4.99 per month subscription will retain Flash-Lite and Flash, but the Pro model will become unavailable to them. However, the cost of the tariff will not decrease.
According to Superpower Daily, the Pro shutdown could happen later in October for AI Plus users. Google is expected to notify each subscriber of the specific date via email.
The full set of models — Flash-Lite, Flash, and Pro — will remain with Google AI Pro and AI Ultra users. AI Pro owners will also get the Deep Think feature with parallel reasoning.
Thus, after the changes, the difference between the tariffs will look like this: free Gemini will only work on Flash-Lite, AI Plus will have Flash-Lite and Flash, and Pro will remain only on more expensive tariffs.
At the same time, Google AI Pro and Gemini Pro are different things. The first is the name of the paid subscription, the second is the name of the model. Google is not removing the AI Pro subscription — it remains available for $19.99 per month. It is about restricting access to the Pro model for the free plan and AI Plus.
For AI Plus users, this effectively means a reduction in the set of available models without a reduction in the subscription price. To regain access to Pro, they will have to upgrade to Google AI Pro.
